Unusual pets that are legal to own

Capybara

Fun fact: The capybara is the world’s largest rodent, weighing up to 140 lbs, according to CBS affiliate WDBJ.

Note: Exotic pet laws in the U.S. vary from state to state as do requirements for some pets’ care, so be sure to look into local regulations before bringing home a new furry or scaly friend.

Credit: yoppy/Flickr via wdbj7.com

Serval

Serval

Lifespan: Up to 19 years

Origin: Central and southern Africa

Fun fact: In the wild, servals are the most successful hunters of all wild cats, making one kill for every two attempts to capture prey. According to CBS affiliate WDBJ, most cats in the wild kill one in every five or six attempts.

Credit: Lutz Kupferschlaeger/Getty Images/iStockphoto,

Chinchilla

Chinchilla

Lifespan: 15-22 years

Origin: Andes mountains, South America

Fun fact: Chinchilla fur is so dense that it’s very difficult for water to penetrate to its skin. To clean themselves, chinchillas bathe in dust, which absorbs dirt and oil from their fur.

Credit: Indenture/Flickr via wdbj7.com

Wallaroo

Wallaroo

Lifespan: 15-20 years

Origin: Australia

Fun fact: The term “wallaroo” is a mix, or portmanteau, of “kangaroo” and “wallaby.” Likewise, a wallaroo is not quite as big as a kangaroo, but not quite as small as a wallaby.

Credit: Megan Gross/Flickr via wdbj7.com

Axolotl

Axolotl

Lifespan: Up to 15 years

Origin: Lake Xochimilco and Lake Chalco, central Mexico

Fun fact: The axolotl is actually a salamander which fails to metamorphose into a land animal in its larval stage, instead keeping its gills and remaining aquatic. According to CBS affiliate WDBJ, axolotls can re-grow most of their body parts.

Credit: Luis Estrela/Flickr via wdbj7.com

Kinkajou

Kinkajou

Lifespan: 20-25 years

Origin:Central and South America

Fun fact: Domesticated kinkajous in El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras are called “micole

Credit: Animal Kingdom Pet Hospital/Flickr via wdbj7.com

Pacman Frog (Horned Frog)

Pacman Frog (Horned Frog)

Lifespan: 6-10 years

Origin South America

Fun fact: Pacman frogs are named after the famous video game due to their particularly large mouths, according to CBS affiliate WDBJ.

Credit: Mike Baird/Flickr via wdbj7.com

Degu

Degu

Lifespan: 6-8 years

Origin: Chile

Fun fact: Degus bond more easily with their owners than hamsters or gerbils due to their intelligence, and occasionally “groom” their handlers by giving them gentle nibbles.

Credit: akub Hlavaty/Flickr via wdbj7.com

Hedgehog

Hedgehog

Lifespan: 3-8 years

Origin: Europe, Asia and Africa

Fun fact: Hedgehogs exhibit an “annointing” behavior when they encounter a new smell, in which they will lick or bite the source of the smell, form a froth with their mouth and distribute the froth on their quills. According to CBS affiliate WDBJ, it’s believed by researchers that this is for scent camouflage purposes.

Credit: Ariston Collander/Flickr via wdbj7.com

Genet

Genet

Lifespan: Up to 20 years

Origin: Africa

Fun fact: Genets can squeeze through any space that is big enough for their head to fit through, according to CBS affiliate WDBJ.

Credit: Fr

Sugar Glider

Sugar Glider

Lifespan: 10-15 years

Origin: Australia, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia

Fun facts: The sugar glider is a marsupial that carries its young in a pouch like a kangaroo. Skin membranes that stretch between its front and rear legs allow it to “glide” through the air for up to 150 meters.

Credit: Jason Meredith/Flickr via wdbj7.com

Fennec Fox

Fennec Fox

Lifespan: 10-16 years

Origin: Northern Africa

Fun fact: In the wild, fennec foxes hunt at night and use their large ears to listen for prey burrowing underground, such as insects or rodents, according to CBS affiliate WDBJ.

Credit: Tim Parkinson/Flickr via wdbj7.com

Pygmy Goat

Pygmy Goat

Lifespan: 10-15 years

Origin: Cameroon Valley, West Africa

Fun fact: Pygmy goats are similar to dogs in that one human year is like seven years to a pygmy goat. According to CBS affiliate WDBJ, pygmy goats can adapt to virtually any climate.

Credit: Kimberly Vardeman/Flickr via wdbj7.com

Ball Python

Ball Python

Lifespan: 20-30 years

Origin: Central Africa

Fun fact: According to CBS affiliate WDBJ, the name for this species of python comes from its defensive maneuver, which is to roll into a tight ball with its head in the middle.

Credit: Dave Parker/Flickr via wdbj7.com

Bearded Dragon

Bearded Dragon

Lifespan: 5-8 years

Origin: Australia

Fun fact: Bearded dragons can change their color in response to temperature or when engaging in displays of male territorial dominance, during which their “beards” can also expand.

Credit: Frank Paul Silye/Flickr via wdbj7.com

Pot-Bellied Pig

Pot-Bellied Pig

Lifespan: 10-15 years

Origin: Vietnam

Fun fact: Though many people unfamiliar with pot-bellied pigs believe they remain a miniature size, adult pot-bellied pigs grow to be the size of a medium to large-sized dog, but with a much heavier build.

Credit: Tracie/Flickr via wdbj7.com

Tarantula

Tarantula

Lifespan: 10-25 years (oldest ever recorded was 49)

Origin: Tarantulas can be found in every continent except Antarctica

Fun fact: Tarantulas molt during their lifetime, shedding their old skin and growing a new, softer shell that will harden over several days.

Note: Exotic pet laws in the U.S. vary from state to state as do requirements for some pets’ care, so be sure to look into local regulations before bringing home a new furry or scaly friend.